Breaking Point
by deadlykitty
Summary: Severus Snape may very well hit the end of his limits if Hermione doesn't control that tongue of hers, but who's to say it'll be out of frustration and not passion? HxS, obviously
1. Chapter 1

Yay! First ongoing harry Potter fic! I have written several for animes, and one oneshot for HP as well, this is my first attempt at adding into a novel. Please let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me, it belongs to J.K. Rowling and i have no desire to take the series away from her. I just want to put Hermione with someone other than Ron. (namely the exquisite Snape)

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"Hermione, how long do you plan to stand there gawking like an idiot, hmm?" Snape was blocking my path, arms crossed over his chest as he tried and failed to give me an intimidating look. He knew that I knew that neither of us could truly intimidate the other any more. Maybe my first year that glower would have worked on me, but now that we were colleagues it had long since lost the effect.

"As long as I feel like, Professor. You can stop anytime now, too." I stepped out of the doorway I previously occupied and allowed the flabbergasted man to pass me. "I no longer have a reason to 'gawk' anyway." with that said, I turned from him and walked down the hall way towards my class room. Snape was still the potions master, and it never stopped him from coveting my job as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. We had been colleagues for two years now, and it seemed I would be cursed to run into the man every day for the rest of my life.

As it were we sat next to each other at meals as well, and our classrooms were practically neighbors, mine was just a floor above his own, my private chambers directly above his own. Here I am a 23 year old woman, whose never been outside a school in her life.

While I may still distrust Snape from my childhood times, lately he'd grown on me as a fellow instructor. Now I understood everything we had put him through, and thoroughly wished we hadn't. It would be just my luck to get some students who were mirror images in personalities as my friends Ron and Harry.

I was on my way back to my own classroom when I had glanced out of the window. The lake was exceptionally gorgeous today, with the sunlight glittering upon its glassy surface. I couldn't help but gaze at it for a little while. It wasn't often that it shined like it did just then, and when I was able to I'd spend the moment to reflect in its beauty.

Snape was still watching me as I left, I could feel his stare as I walked away, leaving him to a lonely hall way. Rapid footsteps caused me to turn back to him alarmed as a hand slammed into the wall next to me. Snape was glaring down at me with a loathing stare.

"You might be my equal, but there is only so much of your wit I can stand. Once you hit my breaking point, there will be no turning back for you."

"Severus," I replied in an innocent tone, "is that a threat or an invitation?"

With a final look of fury he stormed off. I had been close to hitting it that time, I knew. Such as the scene previously entered is how things had gone since I'd first arrived. As an adult woman I now knew how to say all of those things most would considered a flirt, and on Severus snape they worked like a charm. Though he was not necessarily an attractive man, his intelligence attracted me. The more we clashed, the more I saw him watch me. At meals we may even hold a civil and interesting conversation. In the halls we'd never fail to acknowledge one another.

I had made it to my classroom by that time, and found it empty, as I'd expected. What I didn't expect was a note to fly through my door twenty minutes after I'd settled down to a pile of essays to grade.

It was a summons, to none other than Severus Snape's personal chambers. It was set for dinner time that evening. With a chuckle I sent a reply saying I would indeed attend, and asking what he desired I wear, knowing the last comment may either revoke the invitation or make things more interesting.

"Severus, I shall be delighted to join you, but first must inquire as to what you desire me to wear, for otherwise I shall have no idea. Quite frankly I would much rather not got nude so as to avoid improper dress. Hermione." I read the note aloud, infuriated. "Even when I try to make amends she laughs at me..." I muttered, storming around my office. Very well, two can play at that game. Whipping out my quill again, I sent her a reply.

"For while I only ask that you neglect the usual robes tonight, as a way of showing informality to allow us to indeed be 'frank' tonight, however you decide best to dress may very well change the plans for the evening as soon as you walk through that door...

Severus"

With a flourish of my quill I sent the note back immediately, hoping I'd conveyed a suitable comeback. Hermione, once such a bushy haired eleven year old, was now a fully bloomed woman, and very attractive. Her looks were not what attracted me to her so indefinitely. Her spirit and that very wit I had warned about earlier drew me to her as the strongest aphrodisiac may to a succeptible victim.

I had long since admitted to myself the lust I felt for Hermione Granger. Tonight, i would ensure she admitted of her own to me.

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Ok, not a cliffy, but still one. Hope you guys liked this, and as is a rule with most all of my fanfics, I require five reviews for an update. This was first established when my stories would have several hundred readers and maybe two or three reviewers. I write for the people, and not myself, for when my readers are satisfied, I know I have done a job well done and am happy with my work. So please be nice and tell me what you thought! Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

'ello!! I need help!! (with a spoiler for a later chapter...) anyways, I suck at naming things. I need to name a spell. Sound interesting? Well, the type of spell to be named is one that makes you kiss the next person of opposite sex that you see. Lasts about five minutes... so if you get kissed right after the spell has been cast on someone, well, prepare to need resuscitation! (if that's the right word...) The person whose spell I use, if I use it, gets a prize, too! The only type I can give on a site where everyone comes from everywhere! I'll write you a fanfic, from either this or any anime I know that you want. The winner need only ask me if i know a certain series, and if I do, I'll gladly write you a fic! Just please keep in mind, that while I have no quarrels with it, I can not do a same sex pairing. I simply just don't know how to write those and am rather fond of guys and girls together. Also, keep in mind I am a romance writer. Be sure to let me know the rating!!! These little contests shall be popping up from time to time because I intend to use a lot of odd-ball spells throughout the course of this fic. So with that said, on with this chapter!!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me, it belongs to JK Rowling. Also, while I had not noticed nor intended to do so, I have the same title for this fic as there is for a Fushigi Yugi fic I've read before. Both are entirely different stories, so I don't think it counts as me stealing their title. Sorry about that peoples!

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At promptly seven that evening, as the note instructed, I stood outside Severus' door, waiting for him to let me in. I had decided to be a little daring, and modest at the same time, wearing a simple cocktail dress, knee length with a single strap over my left shoulder. It was modest in that no cleavage showed, but what was concealed was emphasized through the tightness of the dress itself. If this were truly his intent, Severus would be getting an eyeful, and with luck I would be able to keep it at only that.

The door opened to Severus standing there in a pair of tightish black slacks, and a gittering green button up shirt, opened from the middle up to reveal pale, taut skin.

It was obvious we both approved of the other's ensemble through our smirks of satisfaction. I swear, the man was rubbing off on me.

"Good evening, Hermione." he muttered, giving a husky tint to his words.

I nodded. "Good evening to you, as well, Severs. I trust I'm not late?"

"Of course, you were right on time, as I knew you would be."

It was obvious tonight was going o be a game. As soon as the door was shut he offered his arm, which I took, gently tucking my own into the little gap, and taking care to pull his arm all the way back to my chest as we walked.

A slight blush was creeping into his cheeks, but just as soon as it appeared so too did it vanish.

He led me to the small couch he had in his drawing room, a very soft and poofy thing I noticed when I began to sink within the thing. I lost a bit of dignity as I tried to straighten myself up enough to sit comfortably without looking like a child.

Severus chuckled. "As always, you are the picture of grace, Hermione."

"As are you, Severus. You're spilling the tea." As I struggled he had started to get us some drinks, and at my comment glanced down to find he had more than adequately filled the cup, and the tray for that matter.

With a muffled curse, he whipped his wand out and cleaned the mess with a simple flick of his wrist. "Terribly sorry about this Hermione." he muttered, a definite blush now, "I must admit to being the slightest bit preoccupied with watching your humorous attempt at sitting like a lady."

I blushed as well, finally sitting correctly. "No need to apologize. I enjoyed the battle of mastering your couch. It seems just as intent to eat me as you are sometimes."

He grimaced. Point for me.

"Yes, sometimes you make me wish I could just eat you up, in many ways and for just as varied reasons..."

I blushed. Point for him.

Embarrassment over for us both, Severus re-poured some tea into each of our glasses, walking carefully to me and leaning down from his splendid height to my shortened level on the couch so as to present he glass to me. His shirt dipped open just enough to reveal some very nice muscles hidden beneath the fabric, something I believed him to have done on purpose. As an added bonus, when he gave me my glass, he was careful to graze his fingers down the length of my hand, leaving a tingling sensation in their wake.

"Severus, is this to be a dinner party or a battle of the senses? So far we seem more intent on teasing each other than was originally intended."

"Indeed, you may be right. Would you care to begin the main course, then?"

I nodded, and joking around aside, stood from the couch with a hand up from Severus. At least there wasn't any kidding around until I was up. Immediately after it began again. I don't know if he meant to do so on purpose, but as soon as he pulled on my arm to help me I went up, nearly flying into him. Luckily neither of us fell over, and he caught me fairly easily, cradling me to him, our clasped hands in between our bodies.

We each blushed, and separated. Minus one point for each of us.

Once again he offered his arm, and he led me to his bedroom, where an elegant table for two had been set up, complete with candles floating above for that romantic setting. I raised an eyebrow at the stain sheets.

"Severus, by having your dinner party in here, were you meaning to imply some after dinner entertainment?"

"I thought it best to give us each a fair amount of space for while we ate, and the most relaxing room in my quarters happens to be my bedroom. The view also happens to be one of the most striking in this castle."

We reached the table, and pulled my seat out for me, before pushing it back in. As he sat I tried again. "Severus, I do believe you just evaded my question."

He managed to keep himself from blushing this time. "Then allow me to be perfectly blunt in answering this time. Whether or not this evening ends in sex will be entirely up to you and your teasing nature.

This time I blushed furiously, and knew he'd won a small protion of the battle by saying that alone.

As my composure came back under control, I smiled sweetly at him, irritation evident in my eyes. "I believe you have just issued a challenge, and I do intend to answer it. Let the duel begin."

With another smile, Severus raised his glass and we toasted to what would surely be a very interesting evening.

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well, that's it. Oh yeah, and on the contest thing, I'll be announcing the winner in the third chapter, so be quick with those suggestions! And if I use yours credit will be given to you for coming up with the spell. Thanks! And please let me know what you thought!!


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